Nimbus Fighter-Bomber
Key Features *Vulcan multi-purpose missiles *RAVEN 20mm chaingun *Omni-directional thruster array *Customized flight helmet *Sophisticated avionics package Tactical Analysis Vector Thrust Power: the Nimbus is a fast, manueverable fighter, its array of weapons capable of taking out both aerial and surface targets. It uses extremely advanced targeting systems to help it track enemy targets in a wide parameter. All-Terrain Landing Capabilities: the Nimbus can use its VTOL thruster array to put down anywhere there's flat ground, allowing it to land at the same airfields as dropships, gunships and helicopters. These thrusters can also be used in combat to guard a particular area, and assist in air maneuvers in evading enemy attacks. Do a Barrel Roll!: maneuver warfare is key for this fighter, as it uses additional thrusters to help it through advanced maneuvers and keep it out of enemy weapons fire. Thanks to its advanced ECM suite, all a pilot needs to do is break missile lock for a second and they can disappear from the enemy's targeting completely. Popping the Seal: while the Nimbus can be used in space, it finds its own in a planet's atmosphere, and as such is not often placed onboard Fleet carriers for extensive use as interceptors. A favored Defense Force tactic is to strap them to rocket boosters that will carry them into orbit faster than their own thrusters ever could. Operational History To the people of the Eridanus system, aerial warfare was never a total priority, given the relative lack of wealth most of the nation-states had. Corporations couldn't (or wouldn't) afford to maintain a fleet of aircraft that would simply sit in their airfields, and the other militia states didn't have anywhere near the resources needed for such an endeavor. Mostly, aircraft were used for combat support and pirate suppression duties, out of remodelled freighters designed to carry wings of fighter. As with many things, this all changed in the Krogan Wars. The F-2X Nimbus Fighter-Bomber was designed after the discovery that the initial landing could be very much decided with a few wings of fighter support, shooting down enemy dropships and chasing orbital spacecraft. One of the Forge's first projects, even, was to develop a new fighter craft capable of engaging any and all targets on a modern battlefield. To that end, the Vulcan missile was designed from the ground up to be fast enough to engage air targets, but powerful enough to destroy armored ground targets, and the advanced 20mm RAVEN chaingun to give the Nimbus a good, fast kill time. During the War, the majority of fighter warfare occured in-atmosphere, where Krogan Alliance Mantis fighters would first chase down evacuating aircraft before coming around to strafe at the humans down below. Once the Nimbus was introduced, however, the air war swiftly turned in the Forge's favor, as the more specialized human fighters were much more manueverable than their multi-role krogan counterparts. Many Nimbus pilots are veterans of the entire conflict, and Nimbus Fighter Training is an intense, tactical lesson to any young pilot hoping to join their proud, esteemed ranks. Category:Aircraft